Description Field of the art

The present invention pertains to the field of devices for the safety of vehicles, in particular for practicing particular drive maneuvers. In detail, the present invention regards an anti- overturning device for vehicles, preferably for two-wheel vehicles such as bicycles or motorcycles.

The present invention also regards a method for limiting the lift-up angle of motorcycles or velocipedes, useful for being applied on the front wheel or rear wheel of the vehicle itself.

Prior art

Today's vehicles allow very high performances, in terms of maximum speed, acceleration, and adherence; this is given by the development and continuous refining of all the components of the vehicle itself, simultaneously with the development of computer-assisted design that has generally rendered vehicles increasingly more performing.

In particular, cars are increasingly faster and safer, with an electronic drive assistance network capable of assisting even non-expert drivers in reaching the limits of the vehicle itself; indeed, such electronic assistance network actually helps the driver when he has exceeded his physical limits or when he over-acts on the controls such as steering, accelerator, brake.

The same can be at least partially said for all motorcycles, in which drive assistance electronics has recently been integrated on road models for the purpose of enabling the prevention of wheel locking during braking, or limiting the spin of the rear wheel during acceleration, by actually modulating the maximum gas effectively transmitted to the motor based on a plurality of data, including (not least) overall adherence data available on the driving wheel, which is the rear wheel. The problem that is encountered on motorbikes and more generally on all motorcycles is that presently it is difficult to integrate a device for controlling front lift-up or wheelie.

Front lift-up occurs when the torque exerted by the action of acceleration imparted to the vehicle by the rear wheel, also due to a crushing towards the ground of the rear shock absorber set, shifts the center of gravity of the vehicle to such a point that the forecarriage, and specifically the set that includes the front wheel, fork, handlebar and front portion of the frame no longer exert a sufficient force for maintaining the wheel in contact with the ground; the wheel therefore is lifted up from the ground.

Front lift-up is characterized - due to the geometries and structure of the motorcycle - in that with the increase of the angle, increasingly lower acceleration increases are necessary for causing increasingly greater angle variations, until a point of equilibrium is reached corresponding with an angle for which the motorcycle can remain with front lift-up without requiring acceleration.

The problem of front lift-up is therefore the following: once this angle has been exceeded, the motor vehicle is brought to be overturned backward, if there are not braking actions by the driver which must be sudden but modulated.

The risk is not only that of backward overturning, where consequences in spinal and cervical terms can be especially serious, but also of a rough fall forward, with an often violent impact, such to unseat the driver from the motorcycle.

It is also true that the front lift-up or wheelie, due to the spectacular nature thereof, is the first of a long series of "acrobatic" maneuvers that motorbike drivers attempt to execute.

Unfortunately, front lift-up is often involuntary, deriving for example from an action of acceleration uphill, or from traversing a hump or rugged terrain capable of at least temporarily disrupting the position of the motorcycle when in acceleration, triggering the above-described phenomenon.

This phenomenon is more likely to occur:

- when the motorbike is light; - when the motorbike has high power, with great power and/or torque variations over limited operation ranges, especially where associated with a short gear set up.

In other words, what is missing today is a device that allows the user to practice the front lift-up or wheelie maneuver, ensuring however safety in the execution thereof.

In addition, even if up to now explicit reference has been made to the field of motorcycles, that stated above is also valid for bicycles, where however the drive force exerted by the motor is substituted by the muscular force of the athlete.

The object of the present invention is therefore to describe an anti-overturning device for vehicles, preferably for two-wheel vehicles such as bicycles or motorcycles, which allows safely practicing the front lift-up or wheelie maneuver.

A further object of the present invention is to describe a method for limiting the lift-up angle of motorcycles or velocipedes, which ensures the same advantages.

Summary of the invention

According to the present invention, an anti-overturning device for vehicles is obtained, characterized in that it comprises a frame, means for pivoting said frame to a wheel of said vehicle and means for retaining a portion of said vehicle susceptible of being lifted up, wherein said retention means comprise a first end joined or constrained to said frame and a free second end, susceptible during use to be joined to said portion of said vehicle; said device being further provided with wheels or rollers, during use laying on the ground and pivoted to said frame at a rear end position thereof.

Advantageously, said frame comprises a left first portion and a right second portion which are disengageable.

In detail, said retention means comprise a rope or strap.

More particularly, said retention means comprise a roller, constrained or connected to said frame, to which said first end is joined.

Advantageously, said pivoting means are positioned at a front end portion of said frame and/or at the pivoting point of a portion of the rear swingarm of said vehicle. Advantageously, said pivoting means are positioned at an intermediate portion of said frame. Advantageously, the device, subject of the present invention, comprises height adjusting means for said pivoting means, configured for allowing the adaptation of the height of said pivoting means in accordance with a radius or diameter of the wheel of said vehicle.

In detail, said pivoting means comprise at least one pin rigidly constrained with respect to said frame and axially extended in a horizontal direction and configured for maintaining said vehicle with a vertical axis that is orthogonal with respect to the ground.

The device, subject of the present invention, is specifically configured for being applied to motorcycles or velocipedes.

According to the present invention, a method is also achieved for limiting the lift-up angle of a motorcycle or velocipede, said method being characterized in that it comprises a step for constraining a first end of a flexible or extendible means for limiting lift-up to a front portion of the vehicle susceptible of lifting up, and a step for the mechanical union of said flexible or extendible means for limiting the lift-up to a frame of an anti-overturning device for vehicles, provided with pivoting means configured during use for being engaged with a hub of a rear wheel of said motorcycle or velocipede and which are introduced into said hub. Advantageously, said method further comprises a step for at least partially winding and/or unwinding said flexible or extendible means within a roller of said anti-overturning device of said vehicles.

Advantageously, said method further comprises a previous step for adjusting the height of said pivoting means in accordance with a height of said wheel, in a manner such to maintain the same in contact with the ground when pivoted on said pivoting means.

Advantageously, said method is characterized in that said device is applied on the rear wheel of said vehicle in order to limit lift-up of the front wheel following acceleration of the vehicle itself.

Alternatively, said method is characterized in that said device is applied on the front wheel of said vehicle in order to limit rear lift-up following braking of the vehicle itself executed by means of action on the front brake. Description of the figures

The invention will be described hereinbelow in a preferred and non-limiting embodiment thereof with reference to the enclosed figures, in which:

- figure 1 illustrates a first preferred and non-limiting embodiment of the device, subject of the present invention, observed laterally, and associated with a motorcycle;

- figure 2 illustrates a second preferred and non-limiting embodiment of the device, subject of the present invention, still observed laterally;

- figure 3 illustrates a third preferred and non-limiting embodiment of the device, subject of the present invention;

- figure 4 illustrates a plan view of the frame of the first embodiment of the device, subject of the present invention;

- figure 5 illustrates a rear view of the device, subject of the present invention;

- figure 6 illustrates a detail of height adjusting means for a wheel of a motorcycle or velocipede, present on the device, subject of the present invention;

- figure 7 illustrates an embodiment of the device, subject of the present invention, applied to the front wheel of a motorcycle, so as to limit the lifting up of its rear portion in the maneuver technically known with the expression "stoppie". Detailed description of the invention.

With reference to figure 1, reference number 100 indicates overall an anti-overturning device for vehicles, especially conceived for being employed on motorcycles, motorbikes, velocipedes, bicycles, or tricycles, all vehicles characterized by ease of front lift-up or wheelie.

Pursuant to the present invention, therefore, the use of the device 100, subject of the present invention, must not be considered limited to those vehicles which only by virtue of names assigned by law are characterized for example as "motorcycles" or "motorbikes". Pursuant to the present invention, front lift-up occurs when the torque exerted by the action of acceleration imparted to the vehicle by the rear wheel, due also to a crushing towards the ground of the rear shock absorber set, shifts the center of gravity of the vehicle to such a point that the forecarriage, and specifically the set that includes the front wheel, fork, handlebar and front portion of the frame no longer exert a sufficient force for maintaining the wheel in contact with the ground; the wheel therefore is lifted up from the ground.

Even if in the course of the present description reference will be made in particular to the lifting up of the front wheel of the vehicle, this does not exclude the applicability of the device 100, subject of the present invention, to the rear wheel of the vehicle itself, as will be better described hereinbelow, in order to facilitate practice of the so-called "stoppies", which are lift-ups that are achieved by lifting up the rear wheel rather than the front wheel. Also this type of maneuver, even if quite spectacular, is equally useful in some endurance and/or trial maneuvers where it is necessary to execute sudden travel reversals or trajectory repositioning of the motorbike.

The device 100 comprises a frame 101 which in a first preferred embodiment has a rectangular plan structure, having one front side or portion 110, a rear side or portion 120, a left side and a right side 130, 140.

The first preferred embodiment of the device 100, subject of the present invention, has at least one pair of wheels 150 positioned at the rear portion 120, which during use lie on the ground. A second pair of wheels 160 is positioned at the front portion 110.

The wheels 150, 160 described in the course of the present description can be substituted by technically equivalent rollers. This holds true in particular for the embodiment that is described here, as well as for the embodiments that will be presented hereinbelow during the present description.

The wheels 150 are pivoted on the frame in a manner so as to rotate only around one axis thereof; indeed, they are not pivoting, i.e. they cannot rotate on axes orthogonal or oblique with respect to their primary rotation axis. Conversely, the wheels 160 that are mounted at the front portion can pivot. Such configuration must not however be intended in a limiting manner.

The left side and the right side 130,140 of the frame are joined together by a plurality of crosspieces 170, which are positioned as low as possible, in a manner such to still be lower than the minimum height reached by the vehicle with respect to the ground, a height which is typically indicated with the technical term "ground clearance".

Pivoting means 190 are arranged on the frame which are conceived for allowing the constraint of the rear wheel 510 of a vehicle 500.

In detail, said pivoting means comprise at least one circular- section tube with diameter such to be inserted in a hub 520 of the rear wheel. This is made possible by the fact that the rear wheel of motor vehicles typically has a hollow hub, sometimes only laterally covered by a rubber or plastic cap.

Said pivoting means are extended in a direction parallel to the ground, thus having an axis thereof that during use coincides with the rotation axis of the wheel, in a manner so as to maintain the vehicle vertical.

The pivoting means 190 are joined to the frame by means of support triangles 200, which provide to raise their elevation with respect to the height assumed by the frame. Such support triangles 200 have a planar configuration and are oriented in a manner such to mainly lie on a vertical plane.

Optionally, on said support triangles 200, means are installed for adjusting the height 220 of the tubes that obtain the pivoting means 190. In particular, the height adjusting means comprise for example an oblong perforation 230, vertically-oriented and positioned on the support triangles 200, flanked by a graduated scale 240, and further comprise a nut/lock nut system for allowing the temporary liberation of the circular- section tubes, in a manner such to make them slide within the perforation 230, and then locking the position thereof when the tube 195 is positioned at a height corresponding to that of the hub 520 of the wheel of the vehicle. This advantageously allows being able to adjust the height of the pivoting means 190 to a great variety of wheels with different diameter, allowing the use of the device, subject of the present invention, for example with motocross - characterized by large-diameter wheels - and immediately after on motorbikes - the latter typically having wheels with considerably smaller diameter than the motocross wheels.

During use, therefore, in the first preferred embodiment of the device 100, subject of the present invention, the wheel 510 comes to be situated pivoted at an intermediate position with respect to the front or rear portion of the frame.

A second preferred embodiment of the device 100, subject of the present invention, is instead depicted in figure 2.

Said second preferred embodiment differs from the above-described first embodiment since there is only one pair of wheels or rollers 150 positioned at the rear portion of the frame, while the pivoting means 190 are positioned at the front portion of the device itself. In other words, therefore, the pivoting means are no longer in middle position, as occurred for the first embodiment of the invention, and the frame is thus supported during use only by the rear wheels 150.

The first and the second embodiment of the device 100, subject of the present invention, can also be applied on the front wheel in order to facilitate the practice of "stoppies".

A third preferred embodiment of the anti-overturning device 100, subject of the present invention, is finally illustrated in figure 3. Such third embodiment is characterized in that the frame is dismountable and is thus divided into a left first portion 310 and a right second portion 320 that can be joined at a rear joining point 330 in which at least part 311 of the left first portion is removably introduced into the right second portion with a connection that has an axis substantially orthogonal with respect to the longitudinal axis 700 of the motorcycle. Preferably but not exclusively, at the point of frontal union, the frame assumes the form of a box, in which one of the two portions has smaller section than the other, at least locally, so as to permit the insertion. The possible presence of temporary locking means such as nuts, bolts or split pins, all of known type, ensure the maintenance of the union. Also with regard to the third preferred embodiment of the anti-overturning device 100, the pivoting means 190 for the wheel 510 are extended in a direction substantially parallel to the ground, so as to maintain the vehicle in vertical position during use. Also in the case of the third preferred embodiment of the anti-overturning device 100, the pivoting means 190 can be advantageously adjustable in height.

At the front portion of the anti-overturning device 100, subject of the present invention, a rope 360 is present that is constrained to the frame for a first end 365 thereof, and to the frame of the motor vehicle for a second end 370 thereof. The rope can be equally substituted by a strap. Optionally, clasps, hooks, rings, snap-hooks or shackles may be present in order to facilitate the removable engagement of the second end 370 with the vehicle 500.

The rope or strap thus attain an element or means for limiting the lift-up angle that the vehicle 500 can reach, and are clearly present in all the embodiments of the device 100, subject of the present invention.

As an option, a roller 400 can be present, which is constrained to the frame of the device 100, and on which the first end 365 of the rope 360 is joined. The roller has a preloaded spring at its interior, preferably of flat spiral type, so as to make the rewinding of the rope within the body of the roller 400 itself automatic when the lift-up angle of the vehicle 500 decreases.

Advantageously, the roller is positioned in the front portion of the frame 101, since with this configuration there is less risk of entangling the rope with the rear wheel, also in the case of sudden reduction of the lift-up angle.

This advantageously allows preventing the rope from being entangled with moving parts of the vehicle 500 or of the device 100 itself, in particular preventing it from being tangled around the wheel 510 of the vehicle, with dangerous consequences for driver safety.

If the device 100, subject of the present invention, is applied on the front wheel, the rope or strap are constrained on the frame preferably at the pivoting fulcrum of the rear swingarm. During use, the device 100, subject of the present invention, functions as follows. In a first step, the pivoting means 190 are positioned within the wheel 510 of the vehicle, possibly by adjusting the height thereof in a manner such to allow the wheel itself to stably touch the ground, so as to ensure the driving force of the vehicle. Clearly, the pivoting means 190 are installed on a rear wheel, so as to allow the vehicle to be able to lift itself up.

Then, the rope 360 is joined, for example and preferably on the lower portion of the cradle of the frame of a motorbike, or under the bottom bracket of a bicycle, and its length or maximum length is defined on the basis of the maximum lift-up angle that it is desired to attain.

When the user causes the lift-up phenomenon, as a consequence of supplying drive torque on the rear wheel - by muscular effort or endothermic or electric motor - such to lift up the rear wheel, he can operate on the controls of the vehicle 500 as if the device, subject of the present invention, did not exist, until an angle A is reached of maximum lift-up or wheelie that is substantially defined by the maximum length assumable by the rope 360 and, in part, by the position in which its second end is joined to the vehicle itself.

The driver can then dedicate more attention on operating the lift- up or wheelie, not worrying about the risk of overturning. Indeed, even exaggerating for example with the accelerator or pedaling, the vehicle 500 will not only remain in vertical position and will not fall on the side, but also will never overturn backward, due to the presence of the rope which at maximum tension and length limits the lift-up angle to below the critical angle B beyond which the vehicle 500, even without accelerating, would overturn backward without a sudden intervention by the user on the braking means of the rear wheel 510.

The user can thus practice, in particular, angles of maximum front lift-up or wheelie A close to the critical angle B, even at high speeds, in which the effect of the air pressure on the opposable surface presented by the shape of the vehicle together with that of the driver himself influences the determination of the critical angle B; all this with significantly reduced risks with respect to the risks that there would be if such device was not used.

It is in fact recalled that the lift-up is characterized - due to the geometries and structure of the motorcycle - in that with the increase of the angle, increasingly lower acceleration increments suffice for causing increasingly greater angle variations, until a point of equilibrium is achieved corresponding to a critical angle, the angle B, at which the motorcycle can remain lifted up without requiring acceleration.

Advantageously, therefore, the device, subject of the present invention, is configured as a means for aiding drivers, drive instructors, stuntmen or anyone who wishes to practice operating a lift-up or wheelie of the vehicle without risking the most dangerous accident possible, that of overturning backward.

Advantageously, moreover, the use of the device, subject of the present invention, on the front wheel allows greater safety in executing "stoppies", in which the attainment of the critical angle is even more risky than the conventional lift-up or wheelie on the rear wheel. Indeed, while in this case, there is the possibility of correcting the excess lift-up by means of an action on the rear brake, causing a reverse torque such to lower the front wheel, this is not possible when the stoppie is executed. Here, only the action of the brake causes the lifting up of the rear portion, and there is no force of acceleration that can act on limiting the stoppie, since the front wheel is idle, lacking traction means and only provided with braking means that are those which cause the lifting up of the rear portion of the vehicle itself.

Finally, it is clear that modifications or variants can be added to the device, subject of the present invention, which are obvious for a man skilled in the art, without departing from the protective scope provided by the enclosed claims.